Benefactor robinjojo Posted June 17, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 17, 2022 This is an owl that came out of an auction last month. Pharaonic Kingdom of Egypt, uncertain pharaoh(s) AR Tetradrachm. Late 5th-mid 4th centuries BC. Imitating Athens. Helmeted head of Athena to right, with frontal eye / Owl standing to right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square. Van Alfen pl. 11; Van Alfen, Mechanisms, Group III.A.1, Fig. 3 = Buttrey Type X. 16.91g, 25mm, 9h. This type of pharaonic owl has an owl on the reverse with very exaggerated feet, so with feet so long as these, why not take to the waves near Santa Cruz. And some surfin' music - Have a great summer! Hit that groove in Santa Cruz! 16 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kali Posted June 17, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 17, 2022 Very nice. Has a bit of the crest showing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor kirispupis Posted June 17, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 17, 2022 Very nice! I have my own Pharaonic Tet that just arrived. I'll photograph it this weekend. Mine is a Buttrey Type M, though it was mistakingly sold as a Buttrey Type B earlier. My understanding is these are just slightly different designs, and we have no idea on their order or minting location. While reading about it, one paper felt that these weren't minted directly by the Pharaohs, based on the fact that there are known coins from Nektanebo II and Ataxerxes III, Sabakes, and Mazakes all inscribed theirs. Instead, he felt they were minted by smaller outfits in the Nile delta. Personally, I don't believe that. The mintage of these coins is vast and the level of craftsmanship is high. There are plenty of examples of kings issuing both inscribed and uninscribed coinage (such as Andragoras). I do think there are examples of cruder coins (I believe you have one) that may have been minted on the Nile delta. I'm a bit surprised that these coins are going at a fraction of the corresponding Athens tets. The history of these is IMHO more interesting. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor robinjojo Posted June 18, 2022 · Benefactor Author Benefactor Share Posted June 18, 2022 I think the relative obscurity of this type of imitative owl limits the number of collectors who are more at home collecting owls with firmer roots. Over the years I have collected many imitations, coins that are not Athenian in origin due to style and weight, primarily, but that's just about as far as it goes with them. Unfortunately hoard information is hard to come by, since these coins are found and dispersed pretty quickly. However, this situation does not preclude the uncovering and documenting of future hoards that may shed more light on these coins. Until that happens, they remain objects of conjecture and speculation for the most part. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewStyleKing Posted June 18, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 18, 2022 I think van Alfin of the ANS has written on these coins and because of the Egyptian origins of coins and coin dies, Andrew Meadows has as well. Look up both on academia.edu. John. aka NewStyleKing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor kirispupis Posted June 19, 2022 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted June 19, 2022 Received my coins yesterday and photographed them today. Here's my pharaonic tet, along with a drachm from Gaza. EGYPT, Pharaonic Kingdom. Uncertain pharaoh(s) Late 5th–mid 4th centuries BCE AR Tetradrachm 24mm, 17.03 g, 8h Imitating Athens. Helmeted head of Athena right, with frontal eye / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent to left; all within incuse square. Van Alfen, Mechanisms, Group III.A.1, Fig. 2 = Buttrey Type M. Ex NGC encapsulation 5872733-112, graded XF, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5. Ex Ponterio 1985 Ex Robert W. Bartlett Bequest Sold for the Benefit of the American Numismatic Society Ex CNG PHILISTIA (PALESTINE), Gaza Circa 353-333 BCE AR Drachm 14mm, 3.94 g, 12h Imitating Athens pi-style coinage. Helmeted head of Athena right, with profile eye and pi-style palmette, Aramaic M horizonally on cheek (only traces visible) / Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent to left. Gitler & Tal V.25D; HGC 10, 542 Ex CNG 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor robinjojo Posted June 19, 2022 · Benefactor Author Benefactor Share Posted June 19, 2022 Nice coins! The centering on the tetradrachm is especially nice. I can just make out the Aramaic M on the drachm - neat coin! This is a leftover Pharaonic owl that I purchased post auction from Roma a couple of months ago, also a Buttrey Type M . Pharaonic Kingdom of Egypt, uncertain pharaoh(s) AR Tetradrachm. Late 5th-mid 4th centuries BC. Imitating Athens. Helmeted head of Athena to right, with frontal eye / Owl standing to right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent behind, ΑΘΕ before; all within incuse square. Van Alfen pl. 9; Van Alfen, Mechanisms, Group III.A.1, fig. 1 = Buttrey Type M. 17.19g, 24mm, 8h. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted June 19, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 19, 2022 Maybe I'll have to keep an eye out for an owl sometime, too. I almost think every collection should have at least one owl.... Beautiful specimens that you show us here by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewStyleKing Posted June 19, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 19, 2022 I've got over 50, but of the wrong sort! NSK=John 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted June 19, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 19, 2022 Just now, NewStyleKing said: I've got over 50, but of the wrong sort! what wrong sort? 😄 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewStyleKing Posted June 19, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 19, 2022 NewStyle not the quotidian, banal mass common owl ( to quote Andrew Meadows now of Oxford University) . I had never heard the word quotidian before and had to look it up! Peter Thomann, another expert called the Grapes example of NewStyle "frankly a mess" He seemed not to like the prosopographical opportunities & possibilities of that NewStyle! NSK= John 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor robinjojo Posted June 19, 2022 · Benefactor Author Benefactor Share Posted June 19, 2022 Yes, I suppose the mass standardized owls are banal, when compared to other owls, and especially when they're compared to the emissions of Syracuse. The standardized classical owls reflect the times in which they were produced, and if I had to choose between one of those owls and a Morgan dollar - no brainer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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